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BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister designate said on Wednesday he was stepping down after failing to form a new government to lead the country to general elections scheduled in May. Omar Karami's resignation made timely elections more unlikely and deepened the political crisis triggered by the February assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. "We have once again reached a dead end," Karami told reporters. "That is why I have invited you today to present my resignation." But Karami said there was still enough time to hold the elections before the current parliament's term expires on May 31....

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - 0329lebanon Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister said Tuesday he would resign, unable to put together a government, and the head of military intelligence stepped aside in new signs the anti-Syrian opposition was gaining momentum in the country's political turmoil. Prime Minister Omar Karami's decision comes amid a deadlock over forming the government, which must be completed before parliamentary elections can be held. Elections are scheduled for April and May, and the opposition - which is expected to win them - is eager to see them held on time. It was unclear whether the resignation would end to...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister said on Tuesday he would step down because he could not persuade anti-Syrian opposition figures to join a national unity government to lead the country to elections due in May. In a move that could delay those polls, Omar Karami told reporters he was not willing to lead a cabinet that did not include both pro-Syrian loyalists and opposition. "I am not willing to form a government of this sort and I came to put the speaker in the picture," he said after meeting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. "I am going to see...

Omar Karami, who has been called on to form a new Lebanese government, is seeking to re-invent himself as a standard-bearer for national unity. However, he has not expressed much confidence in his ability to play this role, and he may have little option but to resign for the second time in the space of a few weeks. The widening divisions in Lebanese politics raise questions over the feasibility of holding parliamentary elections in May, as had been planned before the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri. Mr Karami’s resignation on February 28th after thousands of Hariri supporters gathered outside parliament, was...

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - 0309syria Bolstered by a massive pro-Syrian demonstration, Lebanese allies of Syria moved Wednesday to reinstate the prime minister, who recently was forced out by anti-Damascus protests. Their action ensures Syria's continued dominance of Lebanese politics. Outgoing Prime Minister Omar Karami was virtually assured nomination after 71 legislators put forward his name during consultations with pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, parliament members said. Under the constitution, the president is obliged to comply with the choice of a majority of the 128-member parliament. Syria is keen to keep its hold on its neighbor's decision-making as it pulls its 14,000...

Update - Debka: Pro-Syrian president reconstitutes Lebanese puppet government. Parliamentary majority reinstates PM Omar Karami less than two weeks after mass protest against Hariri murder forced him out of office. Lebanon Set to Reinstate Pro-Syria PM By HUSSEIN DAKROUB ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Syria Bolstered by a massive pro-Syrian demonstration, Lebanese allies of Syria moved Wednesday to reinstate the prime minister, who recently was forced out by anti-Damascus protests. Their action ensures Syria's continued dominance of Lebanese politics. Outgoing Prime Minister Omar Karami was virtually assured nomination after 71 legislators put forward his name during consultations with pro-Syrian...

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 9 - Nine days after Lebanon's pro-Syrian prime minister, Omar Karami, was forced to quit under pressure by opponents of Syria's occupation, he was voted back into the post on Wednesday by the Lebanese Parliament. Mr. Karami was chosen by 71 deputies out of a current total of 126, according to the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation television. The president, Émile Lahoud, is bound by the choice of Parliament - which is dominated by pro-Syrian deputies - and will appoint him on Thursday. The nomination of a Syria supporter angered those who have sought an end to the influence...

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Feb. 28 - In an apparent victory for Lebanon's opposition movement, Prime Minister Omar Karami resigned from office today, dissolving the country's pro-Syrian government and setting the stage for what could be a dramatic change in the relationship between Syria and Lebanon. Mr. Karami's announcement came as more than 25,000 flag-waving protesters massed outside Parliament, chanting "Syria out!" two weeks after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. When news of Mr. Karami's resignation reached the crowds, a cheer erupted throughout the square where they had gathered. Mr. Karami made his terse announcement moments after Parliament reconvened...

A historic moment in the Middle East occurred Monday evening when Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami announced his government's resignation Monday, prompting a cheer from more than 25,000 flag-waving opposition demonstrators protesting against the government and its Syrian backers near parliament. "I am keen that the government will not be a hurdle in front of those who want the good for this country. I declare the resignation of the government that I had the honor to head. May God preserve Lebanon," Karami said. The resignation was a huge victory for the opposition and the most dramatic moment yet in the...

Lebanese government quits Prime Minister Omar Karami announces government's resignation amid growing protests in the wake of former Prime Minister Hariri's killing By Roee Nachmias and Ali Waked Lebanon's Syrian-backed Prime Minister Omar Karami, who has been facing growing popular pressure following the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, said on Monday his government was resigning. Resigning Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami Photo: AFP "Out of concern that the government does not become an obstacle to the good of the country, I announce the resignation of the government I had the honor to lead," Karami told parliament in Beirut....

<p>Just watching CNN. They Pro-Syrian government has just resigned. Huge celebrations in Beirut.</p>

ALARM - Lebanon: the opposition announces the "insurrection for independence " BEIRUT - the Lebanese opposition antisyrienne, joined together at a plenary sitting, announced Friday evening the "insurrection for independence "and claimed a" government of transition "to supervise the Syrian withdrawal. MORE...